When to go to Moorea?
→ The detailed month-by-month page, with real weather records
Best time: May to October (dry season)
At a glance
Why go to Moorea?
Moorea is the Polynesian island that offers the most for the fewest hassles. Thirty minutes by ferry from Papeete, a 60 km road that loops all the way round, two deep bays cutting into a 1,200-metre volcano, a lagoon sealed off by the reef and a scatter of motu to the north-west. In an hour's drive you can go from a hike through mape forest to a swim with the rays. Tahitians keep their second homes here, and plenty of travellers end up staying longer than planned.
The island has a history its landscapes still tell. The marae of the Opunohu Valley, restored in the 1960s, speak of a kingdom where thousands of people farmed the terraces before the missionaries of Papetoai built the Pacific's first octagonal church in 1827. The agricultural college's pineapple plantations replaced vanilla and copra, the Rotui juice factory hums away at the head of Cook's Bay, and Hollywood came to shoot The Bounty in Opunohu Bay in 1984.
Its real trump card is seasonal. From August to October, humpback whales come to calve in the warm waters off the northern reef, and Moorea is one of the few places in the world where you can get in the water with them, under supervision. The rest of the year, the rays and sharks of Tiahura, the dolphins of the Opunohu pass and the Temae coral garden keep the show going. For the price of one night in an overwater bungalow on Bora Bora, you can spend three days on Moorea in a guesthouse with a car.
Map of Moorea: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Cook's Bay and Paopao
- Opunohu Bay and Belvedere
- Tiahura and Hauru Point
- Temae and Vaiare
- Haapiti and West Coast
- The Peaks
How much does a trip to Moorea cost?
Moorea is the affordable gateway to Polynesia: guesthouses, the €13 ferry, food trucks and free hikes make a stay of under €150 a day possible, where Bora Bora asks twice that. Lagoon and whale trips, the car and hotel restaurants quickly push the bill up.
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €100-150/day | Guesthouse with kitchen, bike or hitching, food trucks, the belvedere and free hikes, one shared ray trip |
| Comfort | €200-300/day | Lodge on the north-west coast, hire car, whale-watching trip, dinners out |
| Premium | €600+/day | Overwater bungalow, private excursions, spa, Polynesian evening, helicopter transfers |
The CFP franc is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate, €1 = 119.33 XPF, with no exchange fees. Cards are accepted in hotels, supermarkets, rental agencies and on most excursions, but food trucks, markets and small guesthouses want cash. Cash machines in Vaiare, Maharepa, Paopao and Hauru.
Is Moorea safe?
Moorea is a safe island, with no crime to speak of beyond a few thefts from cars parked near trails or beaches: leave nothing on show. The risks are natural and well known. The overhead sun and the glare off the lagoon call for factor 50 sunscreen, a hat and a T-shirt for snorkelling. Coral cuts and stonefish hide in the sand, so wear reef shoes in the water. Mountain trails turn slippery after rain, and hikers who set off alone up Rotui or Tohivea have already needed rescuing: start early, tell your guesthouse, and take a guide beyond the Three Coconuts Pass. Dengue circulates in some years, so repellent is a must at sunset. The island has a clinic at Afareaitu and GPs, and Papeete's hospital is 30 minutes away by ferry. Travel insurance with repatriation cover is essential.
What to see and do in Moorea
- Opunohu Belvedere
- Cook's Bay
- Titiroa Marae
- Three Coconuts Pass
- Magic Mountain
- Temae Beach
- Swimming with the rays at Tiahura
- Humpback whale watching
Cook's Bay and Paopao
The eastern bay, 3 km long, serves as a harbour for cruise ships and a backdrop for photos. Paopao, at its head, is a village with a fruit market, a church, evening food trucks and the Rotui factory, which turns the valley's pineapples into juice and liqueur. The eastern shore is lined with guesthouses and small hotels at gentler prices than the north-west coast, with a view of Mount Rotui thrown in. It is the best base for exploring without a car: the belvedere, the marae and the Three Coconuts Pass are all within reach by bike or by hitching.
Opunohu Bay and the Belvedere
The western bay, wilder, has hardly any houses. Its valley climbs towards the pineapple plantations, the agricultural college that sells juice and jam, the marae beneath the mape trees and the belvedere, which looks down over both bays from 240 metres. The 8 km road from Cook's Bay can be done by car, scooter or bike. The trails to the Three Coconuts Pass and Mount Rotui start here. At the head of the bay lie a sandbank and a French marine research station, CRIOBE, which has been studying the reef since 1971.
Tiahura and Hauru Point
The north-west coast is where the hotels, guesthouses, rental outfits and excursions cluster. Facing the motu of Tiahura and Fareone, the lagoon is at its widest here, with the stingray sandbank, the Taotoi pass and its dolphins, and coral gardens you can reach by kayak. Tiahura's public beach is narrow, but sunset over the motu is worth the trip. Hauru has more restaurants and food trucks than anywhere else on Moorea. Magic Mountain, above Papetoai, is a 20-minute walk up for the view over the lagoon.
Temae and Vaiare
The east of the island looks across to Tahiti. Vaiare wharf takes the hourly ferries from Papeete, with car and bike hire waiting as you step off. Three kilometres north, Temae lines up the white-sand public beach, the Moorea golf course, the airfield and the Sofitel, with the island's best snorkelling straight off the beach. The round-the-island bus lines leave from the wharf when the boats come in. Sunrise behind Tahiti, seen from the sand at Temae, is the reward for sleeping on this coast, less popular than the north-west.
Haapiti and the West Coast
In the south-west, Haapiti is the surfers' village: the Matauvau pass offers a left-hander that peels almost all year round, reached by outrigger canoe. The neighbouring Tiki Village puts on Polynesian evenings with an underground oven and dancing, touristy but well done. The coast is quiet, with guesthouses on the lagoon, wild beaches between the coconut palms and marae hidden in the vegetation. Haapiti's church, with its two bell towers, is the largest on the island. Cycling round the island along this coast is flat and shaded for half the route.
The Peaks
Moorea is a mountain range that tops out at 1,207 metres on Tohivea, with eight peaks arranged in a crown around the collapsed crater formed by the two bays. Mount Rotui, 899 metres, is a four-hour climb from the Sofitel Kia Ora or from Opunohu Bay, along a vertiginous ridge. Mouaroa, the pointed mountain on every logo, is skirted via the Three Coconuts Pass. Mount Tohivea remains a full-day outing for fit hikers, with a guide. Set off early on every trail, as the humidity makes the slopes slippery from midday.
How many days, and which itinerary?
Three days are enough for the belvedere, a hike, the rays and a beach. Five days let you add a whale-watching trip in season, a cycle round the island and a day of rest. Many stay a week in a guesthouse with a car, combined with Bora Bora or an island in the Tuamotus.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Moorea guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of French Polynesia
Moorea in 3 days
Day 1: morning ferry from Papeete, car hire at Vaiare, Temae beach, then Cook's Bay and sunset over Mount Rotui. Day 2: the Opunohu belvedere before 9am, the Titiroa marae, the Three Coconuts Pass, fruit juice at the agricultural college, Hauru's food trucks in the evening. Day 3: rays and sharks trip at Tiahura in the morning, Magic Mountain in the late afternoon, back on the 17:00 ferry or an extra night. The format that slots onto a two-day stopover in Tahiti.
Moorea and the whales (1 week)
Between August and October, a week in a guesthouse on the north-west coast or in Cook's Bay, with a car or scooter. Two whale-watching trips booked ahead, one in the morning, another later in the week in case of rough seas. In between, the belvedere, the marae, the Three Coconuts Pass, a lagoon day with a picnic on a motu, a cycle round the island via Haapiti, and Temae beach at sunrise. An evening at Tiki Village for the underground oven and the dancing. A day with no plans, for rest or rain.
Moorea, Bora Bora and an atoll (2 weeks)
Four nights on Moorea at the start, to recover from the flight in a guesthouse with a car, between mountain and lagoon. Then a flight to Bora Bora, four nights at Matira or on a motu for the lagoon and the rays. Finally three nights on Rangiroa or Fakarava, in the Tuamotus, for diving in the passes with grey sharks. Back via Papeete with a night for the market and the Museum of Tahiti. Air Tahiti's multi-island pass covers the flights, and ferries link Tahiti and Moorea. The grand tour of Polynesia in compact form.
Getting there and getting around
From Papeete, the Aremiti and Terevau ferries reach Vaiare wharf in 30 to 45 minutes, with a dozen departures a day, at around €13 one way, and cars can come aboard. Air Tahiti also runs 15-minute flights to Temae airfield.
Hiring a car is the usual choice, at €70-90 a day, best booked ahead in the dry season. Rental desks are at Vaiare wharf, at the airfield and on the north-west coast. A single 60 km road circles the island, marked with PK kilometre posts.
Scooters cost €45 a day and bikes €15, with a coastal road that is flat and shaded in places. A full loop by bike takes a day. Hitching is common among locals and works well, especially along the north coast.
A bus circles the island when the ferries arrive, in both directions, for around €3, but timetables are limited and nothing runs in the evening. Guesthouses pick up their guests at the wharf on request, often free of charge.
Where to stay in Moorea?
Family-run guesthouses and small fare on the lagoon, at Haapiti, Papetoai or in Cook's Bay: €80-150 a night, often with a kitchen, bikes and kayaks. It is the most widespread option and the most pleasant one for a week-long stay.
Small hotels and lodges on the north-west coast, at Tiahura and Hauru: €150-250 for a bungalow with a beach, a pool and excursions leaving from the jetty. The liveliest area, with restaurants and food trucks within walking distance.
Overwater bungalows at the two big resorts, the Hilton in the north and the Sofitel at Temae: €450-800 a night, with the lagoon and the reef beneath the floorboards. Half the price of Bora Bora for a similar experience.
Houses and villas to rent with views over the bays, from €150 to €400 a night, good value for families or groups. Many come with an outrigger canoe or a kayak, and the supermarkets in Maharepa and Paopao are well stocked.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in Moorea?
Raw fish in coconut milk is everywhere, €10-15 at snack bars and food trucks, €20 and up in hotel restaurants. Bluefin tuna, mahi mahi and parrotfish come in from fishermen working the lagoon and the open sea.
The food trucks of Hauru and Maharepa open around 18:00: chow mein, grilled fish, skewers and crêpes for €10-15. The Tiki Village truck and those at the Paopao crossroads have their regulars.
Moorea pineapple, smaller and sweeter than the imported kind, turns up everywhere: as Rotui juice, as jam at the agricultural college, and as liqueur at the Manutea distillery at the head of Cook's Bay, which you can visit for a tasting.
The supermarkets in Maharepa, Paopao and Hauru sell fresh bread, local fruit, tuna and Hinano beer at reasonable prices, while imported goods cost 40 to 60% more than in mainland France. A fare with a kitchen keeps the bill down.
Entry requirements
French Polynesia is not part of the Schengen area. EU citizens need only an ID card or a passport; UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports get 90 days in any 180 without a visa, with a return ticket.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Moorea
When is the best time to visit Moorea?
From May to October, in the dry season: 27-29°C, less humidity, passable trails and a clear lagoon. August to October adds the humpback whales, making it the most sought-after period. From November to April, heat and late-afternoon showers, but gentler prices and mornings that are often fine.
How do you get to Moorea from Tahiti?
By ferry from Papeete's wharf, 30 to 45 minutes depending on the company, with a dozen crossings a day from 6am, at around €13 one way per person, cars accepted on board. Or a 15-minute Air Tahiti flight to Temae airfield. Guesthouses pick up their guests at Vaiare wharf on request.
Can you swim with whales on Moorea?
Yes, from August to October, with a licensed operator, a maximum of eight swimmers per boat, at a regulated distance and under a guide's supervision. Trips last half a day off the northern reef, cost around €100 and need booking several weeks ahead. An encounter is never guaranteed, and the weather can cancel.
Do you need to hire a car?
Not necessarily. A well-placed guesthouse in Cook's Bay or on the north-west coast lets you get around by bike, by hitching or on excursions that pick you up. A car, at €70-90 a day, becomes useful for the belvedere, Temae and a loop of the island in a day. A scooter at €45 is a good compromise.
How many days should you plan?
Three days for the essentials: the belvedere, a hike, the rays and a beach. Five days allow a whale trip, the loop by bike and a rest day. A week goes by without a dull moment in a guesthouse with a car. Moorea then pairs with Bora Bora or a Tuamotu atoll over a two-week trip.
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